"Ivan, I've inspected the place where you were attacked on the way. It was truly a battlefield. The fierce battle that took place there was probably the only war in Luxembourg since its establishment. We found at least forty corpses. Ivan, I heard that yesterday, on a street near the cathedral, a horrifying tragedy happened.
A man sitting in a carriage killed the coachman who was driving the carriage with a heavy military crossbow and then committed suicide. According to witnesses, at the same time when the tragedy happened, there was another carriage in front of this carriage. A boy jumped off the carriage, and then that carriage and the other one fled quickly. I want to know if that boy was you and what that tragedy was all about," Viscount Tornam asked seriously.
"That was indeed me. For safety's sake, the best way is to make myself someone who can protect myself. Therefore, Lord Juan spent a great deal of effort teaching me many skills that can be used to save my life," Ivan said."I'm really in awe of Lord Juan now," the old man sighed and said. "And you, Ivan, are undoubtedly outstanding. However, those people even dared to use such dangerous things as heavy military crossbows. It seems that the force threatening you is extraordinary. How do you plan to counter this force?"
Ivan could completely guess that what the old man cared about most after talking for so long was undoubtedly this matter. These families would never gamble with the fate of their own families. Before they supported him, they at least needed to know what the chances of success were.Sure enough, after this question was raised, the men around were obviously very interested and pricked up their ears, afraid of missing a single word.Ivan thought it over again and again and finally decided to reveal a little bit of Lord Juan's plan.
In fact, even if he didn't tell the Tornam family, once Lord Juan took action, people would still suspect him. By that time, the Tornam family would surely think that he didn't trust them.However, how to say this needed careful consideration. This was a major matter and couldn't be neglected at all."Neither Lord Juan nor I are cowards. However, we are not barbarians who like fighting and killing all day long either. However, both Lord Juan and I always think that peace and tranquility are extremely important for the south of Francois.
The ferocious bandits must be eradicated completely. Of course, it would be even better if we could dig out the mastermind behind the scenes. But I'm afraid that if we dig, a whole bunch of them will be brought out, and it will be even more difficult to deal with. Therefore, we'll just let those hiding in the dark stay in the dark and only clean up the parts that stick out and are likely to hurt others," Ivan said slowly.
He knew very well that at this time, Herbert's unchanging expression was the most convincing. Except for not having Herbert's hoarse voice, Ivan imitated Herbert's appearance perfectly. After all, he had stayed with Herbert for a whole month. During this month, he was with Herbert day and night and always felt the sense of oppression emanating from Herbert. Ivan really knew how to intimidate ordinary people.
If Audrey were by his side, Audrey would surely be proud of her student's achievement because Ivan had undoubtedly succeeded in intimidating everyone in the Tornam family.All the people, regardless of their age or status, couldn't help but gasp. In their eyes, Ivan was an heir completely different from other members of the Madin family.In their impression, whether it was the old Earl Madin or his two sons, they were all very gentle in temperament and gave people an elegant and refined feeling.
Ivan was completely different. Although usually he was also extremely elegant and refined, just like the others in the Madin family, suddenly he could turn into a drawn long sword, with the sharp blade glittering with a cold light.It was an extremely dangerous feeling.Perhaps the reason why the three Earls of Madin were killed was related to their idea of trying to smooth things over and not wanting to let the conflict expand further. They hoped to use peaceful means and hide under solid protection to avoid the black hand reaching out from behind.
However, Ivan obviously wouldn't do that. Although he was much younger than his grandfather and two uncles, his way of dealing with the world was undoubtedly much more sophisticated.Viscount Tornam seemed to have seen the bloody battles and cruel and rapid killings everywhere in Luxembourg. Everything was just like what had been happening in the capital, Francois, for nearly a thousand years. Political conspiracies were accompanied by the clash of swords, and the victors walked on the red carpet dyed red with blood.Should he support such an heir to the lord?The viscount was hesitant.
In his view, Ivan was far less elegant and noble than his ancestors and predecessors. The three lords were undoubtedly kind and good people. Although Mr. Est had a bad reputation and was known as a rascal and a libertine, he also had the title of a philanthropist.Ivan was completely different. He had quite the talent of a politician.Would he be a good lord?The viscount couldn't be sure.For a moment, the atmosphere became silent.
Miss Betty clearly understood what was on Viscount Tornam's mind. She also knew that there was no room for compromise in what Ivan had said because it wasn't Ivan's own idea. Ivan was just a messenger, and it was Lord Juan who was really pulling the strings behind the scenes.
In fact, the actions that Lord Juan was going to take had been anticipated by Miss Madin all along. Although she wasn't entirely sure who Lord Juan was, given that he could plan such an elaborate scheme, he definitely couldn't be compared to merchants like Padraic and Lipper.
However, Great-aunt had stated long ago that no matter what Lord Juan was planning, they must support him wholeheartedly, as this might be the last hope for the Madin family, and this glimmer of hope mustn't be allowed to fade away.
With this in mind, Miss Betty broke the silence and said, "Viscount Tornam, you and the old Earl were good friends for many years. You must have been deeply saddened by his passing. Now, Ivan is the last heir of the Madin family. If the opposing side resorts to even more extreme measures, can you ensure that the last heir of the Madin family remains unharmed? Surely you've noticed that those people are becoming increasingly reckless.
Aren't you worried that this recklessness will spread to other aspects? Do you think that after the extinction of the Madin family, those people will stop their actions, or will they still remain in Luxembourg, ready to act whenever they need to?"
Miss Betty's words hit the members of the Tornam family right where it hurt.They had originally been concerned that the opposing force would become more and more uncontrollable, and there was a fear that Luxembourg would fall into a state of bloody and dark rule.Perhaps using those who were prone to violence to counter the violent and those who were good at using force to fight against force was the most suitable option.
Thinking along these lines, Viscount Tornam nodded and said, "Our family has had a close bond with the Madin family through generations. The Tornam family will always stand by the side of the Madin family.""Your Excellency, we are truly grateful for your kind assistance," Ivan replied politely following diplomatic etiquette.After expressing their stance, the people of the Tornam family visibly relaxed.
Baron Samson said, "Ivan, it's not easy for you to visit our home. There are many people of your age in the lounge upstairs. Everything about you is full of novelty and excitement for them. Moreover, they've never actually seen a magician before. Miss Fanny is also upstairs, and she's looking forward to your arrival.""Yes, yes. Since Theodore told everyone about what happened at Baron Lipper's banquet, you've become quite a prominent figure in Luxembourg. But none of us knew that your real identity was that of the heir to the lord," Viscount Tornam said with a smile.
"Mr. Ivan, your acting skills are truly remarkable. That day at the dinner table, we all felt sorry for Lord Juan's misfortune. Haha, two children died one after another due to the plague, and the only grandson had to bear the burden of the family. The old grandpa couldn't withstand the blow and became frail. What a moving story," Viscount Theodore's cold and sarcastic voice suddenly rang out from beside them.Everyone turned to look at Viscount Theodore, and they all understood why he was so displeased with Ivan.
Most of the people in the Tornam family had originally been worried that Theodore would oppose supporting Ivan, which wasn't entirely out of the question."Theodore, Ivan had no choice but to say that at that time. You should understand this," Mr. Samson said."I wasn't lying. Those were indeed my genuine feelings. I did have two uncles who died unexpectedly, and that could also be regarded as a plague of sorts, a special one. Their deaths forced me to bear the burden of the family alone. I think you should be able to understand. Lord Juan did lose several important relatives during that plague.
And just yesterday, we lost another friend. He was originally driving a carriage to pick me up, but when I arrived, those people had turned into would-be murderers. I'm sure you can imagine what happened. That day, I wasn't acting because I didn't need to. I've lost many relatives, most of my relatives. But for safety reasons, I can't pay my respects at the graves of any of them, including my mother. It might not be Lord Juan who has aged prematurely, but me," Ivan said.
These words had been carefully thought out by Ivan long ago and had been thoroughly discussed with Audrey and Lord Juan for a long time to ensure there were no flaws.Sure enough, these words had the desired effect, and Viscount Theodore had nothing to say in response, because it was the truth after all. The successive deaths of the three lords of the Madin family were a tragic event even for him, let alone for Ivan who shared the same blood.
Even that last statement made sense. Viscount Theodore had indeed never encountered a teenager as mature in thought and as experienced as Ivan.Ivan even possessed a shrewd political vision and a way of dealing with the world that an old politician who had been in the political arena for decades might lack.A difficult life and a series of misfortunes might be the only explanations for why Ivan was the way he was.
"Alright, let's stop talking about these matters. The children are waiting there," Viscount Tornam put his arm around Ivan's shoulder and said.Surrounded by everyone, Ivan arrived at the lounge at the back.Unlike the hall, the lounge was rather refined and elegant.All of this left Ivan dumbfounded. It wasn't that he was inexperienced, but compared to Lord Juan's treasure room and the Madine family's collection room, this lounge was nothing special at all.What truly surprised Ivan was the huge contrast between the lounge and the hall.
This lounge was about two or three hundred square meters in size. Along the windows were arranged a row of deer-skin sofas. The cushions were made of either cheap cashmere or precious camel hair. As for the arrangement, it seemed to depend on the rank of the person sitting. The camel-hair cushions seemed to be reserved for wives, elders, and important family members.
The left side had been turned into a card-playing area, with six large round tables inlaid with gold-painted enamel and carved patterns placed there, and a circle of perfectly matching chairs placed around each table.Above each table, apart from hanging lamps, there were also hookahs for those who had such a hobby, so that they could enjoy smoking while playing cards.
The center of the lounge was clearly a place for dancing. It was spacious enough to hold a small ball.In the corner of the west wall, an open space had been set aside. The corner was filled with all kinds of toys, and all the children were playing there.The wives gathered around a large table in another corner. They had endless gossip to share.Seeing Ivan's dumbfounded look, the members of the Tornam family could certainly guess what was on his mind.
"Ivan, come here. We were just talking about you," the daughter of Viscount Theodore waved her arm towards him.Baron Samson and Viscount Tornam pulled Ivan and walked towards that place.Most of those following behind them were elderly men.Those members of the Tornam family who were about the same age as Viscount Theodore gathered around the card tables.
"You'd better keep an eye on your daughter," one of them whispered to Viscount Theodore."Of course I know, but the girl won't listen, and there's nothing I can do," the viscount said, shaking his head."That boy seems to be even more dangerous than his father. At least, his father used tricks to toy with women, but this boy doesn't even need to use any tricks to make so many girls infatuated. And he's still so young," another person said with a curl of his lip.
"Alright, alright. Stop talking. Are we going to play cards or not?" A slightly older man stopped their meaningless argument.On the other side of the lounge, the women had already surrounded Ivan in a circle.Miss Fanny and the daughter of Baron Theodore were sitting beside him. There was no room for the men to sit, so they stood aside.
"Ivan, did you go to my home on your way here?" Miss Fanny asked."Yes, but you happened to leave a day earlier than us. I only met the butler. He seemed to be preparing food for winter," Ivan said."Oh, what a pity. It would have been nice if it had been a day later," Miss Fanny seemed rather regretful."No, fortunately you weren't with us. Otherwise, you would have been in danger with us," Ivan said.This topic clearly aroused everyone's interest.
"Ivan, tell us about the situation at that time. The news from the escort team said that it was like a battlefield. There had never been such a fierce battle in Luxembourg before. Whole stretches of the forest were cut down, and the cuts were as smooth and flat as a mirror. According to Earl Levy, as far as he knew, only the paladins of the Holy Knight Order could make such smooth and flat cuts. However, he wasn't sure if magicians could make the same cuts," Viscount Tornam said.
"Paladin? Maybe it was really a paladin. His skills were truly astonishing," Ivan muttered to himself."How could that be? You fought against a paladin and still managed to escape alive?" Another old man exclaimed in surprise."Fortunately, there were no magicians among them. Otherwise, we would have been in big trouble," Ivan said, shaking his head."Ivan, I didn't expect your magic to be so powerful," Miss Fanny sighed.Hearing such praise, Ivan didn't know how to respond.
"Ivan, it must have been extremely dangerous at that time," Baron Samson asked with concern."Yes, there were only six of us, and one of us was already injured. He was injured while trying to save me. It was really dangerous at that time. An arrow flew past my neck, just a hair's breadth away. I would have been lying in the grave if it hadn't been for Ted saving me," Ivan couldn't help but gasp when he thought of that close call.
"Then how did you manage to escape?" Miss Fanny asked nervously."It was because Lady Luck was on our side. You don't know how excellent Lord Juan's archery skills are. He's no less skilled than that 'Windbreaker' Lidoco. He took care of most of the assassins who got close. And Ted, the person I mentioned just now who saved my life, is the best warrior I've ever seen. His spear skills have reached the peak. He protected me from fatal injuries, and I focused on casting magic.
Since the other side had no magicians, they suffered a great loss," Ivan said. He deliberately concealed Herbert's existence. After all, for a killer, being famous wasn't a good thing.
"What kind of magic was it? It must have been quite advanced. More than forty corpses were found in the forest. With the strength of just six people to deal with so many bandits, your magic must have been very powerful," Baron Samson asked.Ivan scratched his head in embarrassment, but he didn't intend to tell the truth. Ivan said, "Baron, it's not as you might think. I'm just a magic apprentice who has just started learning magic. It's already good enough that I can use some simple magic. In fact, to deal with those people, I just used a common paralysis spell."
"Hey, it seems that only a magician can fight against a magician. Even the powerful paladin couldn't fight against the paralysis spell cast by a magic apprentice," Baron Samson said with infinite emotion."Ivan, how did you become a magician? Was it arranged by Lord Juan?" The daughter of Viscount Theodore asked curiously.
"Yes. My teacher, Magician Lavash, was originally a friend of Lord Juan. He thought I had the talent for learning magic, so he took me as his disciple. And Lord Juan originally hoped that I could have more skills to protect myself," Ivan explained. He didn't want others to know the real situation."Ivan, you're really a very lucky person. You have everything that we can never have," The daughter of Viscount Theodore said with emotion.
"I'm rather envious of you. By the way, I'm also envious of Miss Fanny and most of the peers here because you have the love of your parents, which I can never enjoy," Ivan seemed a bit melancholy. This time, he wasn't acting. Not having parents had always been the biggest regret in his heart."What were your parents like? Do you still remember?" The daughter of Viscount Theodore asked.
"Of course I remember. My mother was the most beautiful woman in the world and she was always obedient to me. As for my father, he had extraordinary painting talent and was a philanthropist," Ivan replied."Your father was also a libertine. You forgot to mention that," Viscount Theodore didn't know when he had stood behind Ivan.
Such unreasonable words obviously made the ladies present a little dissatisfied, but it seemed that there were quite a number of people standing with Viscount Theodore.Ivan knew that this sensitive topic would be brought up sooner or later. In fact, it was rather abnormal that Viscount Theodore hadn't had any fierce reactions before.
In Ivan's impression, Viscount Theodore wasn't the kind of person who would keep his words to himself. Back at Baron Lipper's mansion, Viscount Theodore had mocked him because of the purebred horse at first, and then he stood up for him. The reason why Baroness O'Neill didn't dare to go too far was partly because she was intimidated by his identity as a magic apprentice, and it also had a lot to do with Viscount Theodore and Firth helping beside him.
Ivan didn't dislike people like Viscount Theodore. However, Mr. Est was, after all, his father in name, so he had to say a few words for him.Moreover, Lord Juan and Audrey had thought that the deep impression he had left on Baron Lipper and others at first was now a flaw, and a very dangerous one at that.If he wanted to make up for this flaw, he had to make people think that he had two completely different sides. Just like Miss Bertha was regarded as a combination of an angel and a witch, an elegant and... combination. Since Ivan had the same blood in his veins, it would be reasonable if he was also a person with two completely different sides.
Now, it was a good opportunity.Thinking of this, Ivan made himself seem a little excited. He stood up from the chair, turned around to face Viscount Telbo, and said loudly, "Viscount, perhaps in your opinion, making your partner feel the greatest happiness in marriage is a very evil thing, but I don't think so. Our family doesn't think so either."
"If you want to say that my father was a libertine, then please describe it more accurately. My father might indeed be a libertine, but he was only a libertine in front of the person he loved. Have you ever heard that my father forced anyone or used libertine means on prostitutes?
I'm sure you haven't. My father's reputation in these aspects was clean, and there are noblemen everywhere who have committed such shameful acts."
"I don't know how many noblemen, during their growth process, when they were full of curiosity about women, didn't use their personal maids beside them as tools to explore this mysterious and subtle thing. Have you had such an experience? But I can tell you that my father didn't, and I didn't either. At least among the members of my family that I know, I've never found such a thing.""Compared with those noblemen who forced their maids, I don't know who is more qualified to be called a libertine. What's more, I've never seen any couple more harmonious and affectionate than my parents."
Viscount Theodore hadn't expected Ivan to be so frank. He really had no room to refute what Ivan said. His first "woman" was indeed his personal maid, which seemed to be the experience of every nobleman in his youth. "Perhaps everyone has some immoral behaviors more or less, but I can't forgive him for torturing Miss Bertha like that," Viscount Theodore said."Torture? I've never heard my mother say that she was tortured. It's just what you think," Ivan said.
"The son of a libertine is also a libertine. You will also inherit the tradition of your family. You will also use the skills passed down in your family to torture your wife in the future, right?" Viscount Theodore asked."If you must think so, I can only admit it. I will please my wife in my own way and let her please me as well.
I like to enjoy life, just like I like adventures. Of course, I will maintain the tradition passed down through generations in my family. I will never force the woman I love to accept all this, but I will choose the woman I love who can accept all this as my wife."
Ivan's words undoubtedly stirred ripples in the hearts of the girls.However, obviously Viscount Theodore's original intention was completely shattered because none of the girls thought that Ivan was a womanizer. On the contrary, in the eyes of the girls, he was a real man who knew how to live life, could let go when necessary, and did things his own way.